


resonance

by andnowforyaya



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Gen, M/M, Mecha, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-23 00:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9631001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andnowforyaya/pseuds/andnowforyaya
Summary: “Remember,” Hoseok says as he bows slowly. “It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about compatibility.”





	

Kihyun knows everything important that needs to be known about every pilot on base. The stats scroll like tickertape in his brain as each hopeful rookie pilot steps forward and into the ring to vie for the coveted position of Shin Hoseok’s co-pilot.

Shin Hoseok: 26, male, no known living relatives. Piloted his first jaeger at 18 with his younger brother, 16. Both considered prodigies out of Seoul. 21 drops, 21 kills. Hoseok fell off the map a few months ago after his brother died in combat, in drift. A veteran despite his youth. Rumor has it he felt the need to show his face at the base in Busan because Hyojung insinuated Hoseok couldn’t pilot anymore, and being the hothead he is, Hoseok took the bait. But Kihyun watches Hoseok spar with each opponent who steps into the ring, watches how Hoseok grits his teeth and holds himself back, and thinks it wasn’t pride that brought Hoseok back, but guilt.

Jooheon leaves the ring to a few consolatory pats on his back as Minhyuk enters the sparring ring next, and Kihyun purses his lips into a frown.

Minhyuk was Kihyun’s first friend on base when Kihyun arrived, and they spent years wreaking havoc on their tutors together. Kihyun knows sparring isn’t really Minhyuk’s area of strength. He’s never been able to throw a punch with the full weight of his strength behind it, too worried about the possible destruction, a pacifist at heart despite the seeming end-times they live in. 

Sure enough, only a few moments later, Kihyun winces when Hoseok steps behind Minhyuk’s guard easily and knocks him to the ground with the butt of his staff. Minhyuk slinks away with little rancor, leaving his staff by the edge of the mat, probably already thinking about the labs where he’d much rather be spending his time with Changkyun and Hyungwon, their resident scientists-in-training.

Hoseok turns to Hyojung, who is standing at the head of the room, the crowd parted slightly around her. Kihyun stands at attention at her side. Though she isn’t in full uniform, the stripes at the collar of her jacket marking her rank as Commander demands respect. Not that she’d need the marker of status -- everyone knows Hyojung around base, and everyone knows not to get in her way.

Hoseok is wearing thin grey sweats and a shirt that is more holes than fabric, sleeveless, with a vent in the back and slits down the sides -- typical training wear, though the top is flashier than most. It’s similar to what others who are standing around the ring are wearing.

“All green,” Hoseok says, barely even sweating and twirling the staff around once in his hands. He runs the fingers of his other hand through his thick black hair. “I thought you said you had a whole class of pilots who would be ready.”

Kihyun rolls his eyes at the display of bravado, not missing the way Hoseok stiffens and looks his way for a tiny moment.

Hyojung says, “I do. I guess _you’re_ the one not ready.”

A ripple through the crowd, hushed exclamations. The grip around Hoseok’s staff tightens. Hyojung frowns and turns, an abrupt about-face, and begins to walk out of the room. Kihyun follows, giving Hoseok one last disappointed look.

Experienced pilots are hard to come by, and Hoseok was meant to co-pilot a slightly older model of machine. Jaegers are being destroyed faster than they can be built, and the base in Busan is currently scrambling to make up for the loss of one of their mecha before the next imminent kaiju attack, likely before the end of the month.

“Wait,” Hoseok says. “What about you?”

Kihyun pauses, his steps light. He can feel the crowd collectively turn to look from Hoseok to Kihyun and back.

Hyojung looks over her shoulder at Kihyun also, her expression carefully blank. “Kihyun has not trained to be a pilot,” she says.

“Then what does he do?” Hoseok asks. “Sit around taking notes for you?”

Kihyun flushes hot, scarlet. He turns to glare at Hoseok, whose grin is positively shit-eating as he strolls to the edge of the mat to pick the staff Minhyuk had left there, pointing the weapon at Kihyun.

“Come on,” Hoseok continues, very obviously egging him on, “we need a co-pilot.”

Kihyun stalks forward into the ring, ignoring Hyojung’s warning and taking the staff from Hoseok’s hand. He faces him. He has watched Hoseok fight both out of the pilot’s seat and inside of it, has studied his style and movements. He twirls the staff once in his hand the same way Hoseok had and bows, waiting for Hoseok to reciprocate. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Hyojung cross her arms and sigh.

“Remember,” Hoseok says as he bows slowly. “It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about compatibility.”

“I know what it’s about,” Kihyun says, and as soon as Hoseok lifts his eyes Kihyun is attacking, the staff like an extension of his hands. Their weapons clack against each other as Hoseok defends, shifting stances back and to the side to evade Kihyun’s rapid jabs and thrusts. Kihyun swings the staff around in a controlled arc as Hoseok ducks, eyes wide, caught by surprise as Kihyun feints and slips under his guard, stopping the staff just short of Hoseok’s forehead.

“One,” Kihyun announces, breathing hard with exertion. Hoseok’s chest rises and falls, mirroring him, and then Hoseok smiles.

Hoseok attacks quickly, pushing Kihyun back into one corner of the mat. When Kihyun blocks an overhead swing with his staff between both hands, the impact jars his wrists and he grunts, and he catches Hoseok’s smile again. He’s not holding back, and Kihyun isn’t either. He tries to get under Hoseok’s guard once more, but Hoseok has already picked up on Kihyun’s favorite tricks, and instead it’s Kihyun who is suddenly being swept off his feet as Hoseok hooks the staff under his ankles and pulls, toppling him to the ground, staff pressed into the center of Kihyun’s chest.

“One,” Hoseok says, panting, a glimmer in his eye.

Kihyun pushes Hoseok’s staff away and launches back into the offensive, managing to trip Hoseok up when he’s switching stances to take him down with his arms locked behind his head. “Had enough?” Kihyun asks, breathing hard into Hoseok’s ear.

“ _That’s enough_.” Hyojung’s voice rings out across the room. Immediately, the crowd stands at attention, feet shifting into place, hands clasping behind backs. Kihyun lets Hoseok go and holds out a hand to help him up, which Hoseok takes. His hand is warm, and rough.

“Kihyun, let’s go,” Hyojung says.

Hoseok’s eyes widen. “Go?” he asks, as Kihyun steps around him to fall back in line with Hyojung. “Did you see that?”

“Shin--” Hyojung starts, but Hoseok is quick to interrupt.

“Kihyun has to be my co-pilot,” he says, quick to return to a stance of attention respectfully.

Hyojung presses her lips together into a tight, thin line.

Kihyun looks at her, apologetic but defiant, unwilling to back down. He's still full of adrenaline from the short match, his blood tingling. “Hyojung-noona,” he says, “I can do it.”

Hyojung presses her lips together, her eyes dark. Kihyun knows that sometimes she looks at him and sees his older brother, instead, and finally he lowers his eyes at the reminder. Hyojung says, “Whether you could do it was never the problem.”

.

**Author's Note:**

> for the 'mecha pilots' square for mxbingo
> 
> i love [this scene a lot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PkiHgrZ_fg) and wanted to write it for kiho fight me 
> 
> comments are appreciated <3 also i'm on twitter uwu @andnowforyaya


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